I keep running into my friend Stella in Chinatown even though we both live here in Newton so I am calling upon her expertise to help me with this guide to Chinatown in Boston. It’s a little mystifying to find the best of the best in Chinatown. We usually agree, but when we don’t, I’m going to list both options.
My kids are of a different mind. They think I am being a “Bruce Lee” by spilling Asian secrets and thereby making their favorite haunts even more crowded than they already are. There is plenty for everyone!
What makes you hesitate to go to Chinatown? Is it the bad drivers? Is the lack of parking? Is it because you don’t speak Mandarin? The drivers are terrible; this is true. We park at a lot on Tyler Street. It’s impossible to get meter parking but we manage once or twice a year to score a spot. And not everyone in Chinatown speaks Mandarin; there are hundreds of Chinese dialects so not everyone who lives there can understand each other. Your English will be fine!
Hope you venture into Chinatown. There are a lot of delicacies waiting for you there!
Best Dim Sum
China Pearl Restaurant
9 Tyler St
Boston, MA 02111
Everyone I know agrees that this is the best Dim Sum in Boston. It still doesn’t compare to Dim Sum in Hong Kong, or in Chinatowns in Los Angeles or San Francisco though so don’t get your hopes up too high. Still, their Har Gao is as good as any in the world.
Go before 11am on the weekend or expect to wait in line.
Best Soup Dumplings
Gourmet Dumpling House
52 Beach St
Boston, MA 02111
There’s usually a line out the door for dumplings so your best bet is to call ahead and pick up. Or do what we do. We order the soup dumplings when we are seated for Dim Sum (but before we start eating), then we pick them up on our way out for an afternoon snack.
Best Asian “Starbucks”
Tea Do
8 Tyler St
Boston, MA 02111
Stella turned us on to this contemporary tea house and my kids like their smoothies and bubble tea. Their Japanese snacks are great too! This is a popular hangout for teens in the area and stocked with board games so you can hang out while sipping your drink! This is a de rigeur stop for us when we come to Chinatown for Dim Sum!
Best Cantonese Seafood
We have a split decision. I have been going to Peach Farm for more than 10 years and therefore haven’t tried anything new since finding it. Stella likes Jade Garden and she’s Cantonese!
Peach Farm
4 Tyler St
Boston, MA 02111
Try the Salt and Pepper Squid. We order it half squid and half beef with bone. I like their ginger and scallion lobster too. Even our kids will eat the shrimp — that’s live from the tank (with the heads on), then steamed and served with sauce. Our kids like the sauce that isn’t spicy.
Jade Garden
20 Tyler St
Boston, MA 02111
Best Chinese Cake Bakery
101 Bakery
56 Beach St
Boston, MA 02111
My kids like their sponge cakes; a piece with just a thin layer of frosting in between.
Best Chinese Pastry Bakery
Hing Shing Pastry
67 Beach St
Boston, MA 02111
They make Moon Cakes when it’s that time of year but no one I know actually likes Moon Cakes as they are very dense and sweet. They are made of sweetened bean puree. Instead, try the sponge cake in the paper cones. I also like their beef curry pies, apple turnovers and their version of Pigs in the Blanket. They have Chinese specialities too like pork buns (baked not steamed), and sticky rice wrapped in leaves.
Best Roasted Meat Shop
Hong Kong Eatery
79 Harrison Avenue
Boston, MA 02111
The restaurant is always busy but I’ve never eaten there. Instead, I stand in line to order their roasted meats. My favorite is the soy sauce chicken but the salt chicken is equally popular. They have roast duck and roast pork — both Char Shui (BBQ) and suckling pig style.
Best Vietnamese Sandwich Shop
163 Vietnamese Sandwich
66 Harrison Ave
Boston, MA 02111
Even if you are full, get a sandwich to go. You won’t regret it!
What are your favorite eats in Chinatown? Please share in the comments below!
